New Clinical Trial Aims to Reduce Heart Damage from Cancer Therapies in Women with Breast Cancer
A new clinical trial, known as the CARDIOCARE project, is set to enroll women with breast cancer to examine the potential of behavioral and psychological interventions in reducing heart damage caused by anti-cancer therapies. The project, conducted by a consortium of European partners including the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), aims to provide women over the age of 65 with breast cancer the tools to improve their physical health and psychologically adapt to the disease.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Europe, accounting for 13.3% of all new cancer cases in 2020. It is estimated that 1 in 11 women in the EU will develop breast cancer by the age of 74. In light of these statistics, the five-year, EU-funded CARDIOCARE project aims to revolutionize the management of older women with breast cancer. The project brings together experts from various fields such as cardiology, oncology, psychology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, computer science, and biomedical engineering from seven European countries.
The clinical trial will involve 750 patients with breast cancer from six clinical centers in Europe. The impact of behavioral and psychological interventions on quality of life, physical and mental well-being, and the cardiotoxic effects of breast cancer treatment will be evaluated. All participants will receive the CARDIOCARE mobile application, which will incorporate both ePsycHeart and eHealtHeart. The ePsycHeart feature will monitor quality of life, mobility, and mental health using wearable technology such as a chest band heart rate sensor, smartwatch, and questionnaires. The eHealtHeart component will encourage patients in the intervention group to adopt healthy behaviors including physical activity, a healthy diet, memory improvement games, and changes to their home environment to reduce the risk of falls.
In addition to improving the physical and mental health of older women with breast cancer, another major goal of the trial is the early identification of women at the highest risk of heart and blood vessel damage from anti-cancer treatments. Cutting-edge technologies, such as next-generation sequencing and artificial intelligence, will be utilized to pinpoint changes in gut microbe species that indicate damage to the heart and blood vessels before symptoms occur. Furthermore, AI will be employed to analyze heart images and predict the likelihood of heart damage.
Professor Dimitrios I. Fotiadis, the project coordinator from the University of Ioannina in Greece, expressed his optimism about the project, stating that CARDIOCARE is on track to improve the physical and mental well-being of older women with breast cancer by detecting cardiovascular side effects early and providing digital tools to support their overall health.
The latest updates from the CARDIOCARE project will be presented on the ESC TV stage during the ESC Congress. Furthermore, more information about the project can be found in the Exchange and Lounge areas.
In conclusion, the CARDIOCARE project brings hope to women with breast cancer by aiming to reduce heart damage caused by anti-cancer therapies. Through the use of behavioral and psychological interventions and advanced technologies, the project seeks to improve the overall well-being of these patients and revolutionize the management of breast cancer in older women.
